The CDC reports 50,000 people in the United States visit emergency rooms every year due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, and 430 people die from it. Any furnace in Portsmouth, VA, could leak carbon monoxide. Read on for ways to tell if you have a carbon monoxide leak in your home.
Physical Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Not everyone experiences physical symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms you may experience include headaches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, confusion, dizziness, chest pain and confusion. Some people think they have fallen ill with the flu, as CO poisoning can mimic this illness.
Your pets may also become sick when there’s a carbon monoxide leak in your home. Pets, like people, can also die from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Soot Around the Furnace
If you see soot or brownish-yellow stains around the furnace, you might have a carbon monoxide leak. Similarly, fallen soot in your fireplace is a warning sign of carbon monoxide buildup in your home.
Pilot Light Problems
Not all furnaces have pilot lights, but for those that do, pilot light problems often mean there’s a carbon monoxide leak. The pilot light may frequently go out or burn yellow instead of blue.
You can help prevent carbon monoxide leaks in your home by scheduling furnace maintenance once a year. Maintenance service technicians clean the furnace and replace worn parts to help keep the heater operating safely.
What to Do if You Have a CO Leak
You should have a carbon monoxide detector to alert you when there’s too much of this toxic gas in your home. You also need to follow the instructions for maintaining your carbon monoxide detector. If it’s broken or has dead batteries, it’s not going to alert you.
When you suspect there’s a carbon monoxide leak from your furnace, you should contact a heating repair company to inspect your heater for safety. While waiting for service technicians to arrive, stay outside the house to avoid inhaling the dangerous gas.
Carbon monoxide buildup is difficult to detect because it doesn’t always show noticeable signs. If you notice any of these warning signs that your furnace is leaking carbon monoxide, immediately contact Fair Mechanical for furnace repair in Portsmouth, VA.
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